The hotel staff continued to wave goodbye as we drove away. In the rear view mirror, their smiling faces faded and as we turned a corner, our time in Vietnam had come to an end. It was a fitting way to depart from a country where we experienced an unparalleled level of hospitality. The beginning to our last day had started, and would end with one last night in Bangkok.
We arrived at 7 PM, and were picked up by Pim - our tour guide from the first day. Our last night of the trip, we opted to try something new. Instead of staying in a hotel, we chose to stay with Pim in her small apartment complex. They had a few guest rooms, and located in the heart of downtown, we welcomed a change of scenery. We could do without the plush robes, waterfall showers, and continental breakfasts for just a day - maybe. We checked in to our connecting flight to Moscow, and then headed to dinner with Pim. After a few unsuccessful attempts at having us eat at street shops (turns out nobody is in the mood for dog), we found an outdoor spot that could accommodate us. The staff spoke no English, but luckily Pim was able to convey that Corey and I were vegetarian, and our meal actually turned out better than we hoped. Though, after this trip, it's safe to say neither of us will be eating vegetables and rice for a long time.
We said our goodbyes to Pim, as she had a birthday party to go to that night (our invite must have been lost in the mail). With no real plan, we reverted back to Asiatique - the waterfront dining/shopping area of Bangkok. Hearing live English music (1..2..3 - Bruno Mars), we wandered into a bar that was all too familiar. Our first night of the trip had started here. Coming full circle, we ordered some brews and started our reflection on the trip - the amazing people we had met, things we had seen, and places we had been.
Traveling to the other side of the world provides a new perspective. Kids our age or even younger were working seven days a week, 16 hours a day, just to provide enough for their families to eat. Most locals hadn't traveled outside the country, yet alone their respective cities. Though the world is a huge place, it is easy to live inside the comforts of our own bubble. Music, culture, food, water - everything is different. Globalization is real. Climate change is real. Problems that we face seem insignificant in comparison to those of others. And that reality is something that you can't get out of a textbook, but rather something waiting to be seen at the other end of the flight. If there's an intangible to be gained by traveling to parts of the world like Thailand, Vietnam, and Cambodia - it is perspective - and the profound appreciation you feel for what you have that comes with it.
Off my soap box, we left Southeast Asia with memories that won't be forgotten. There is a certain happiness that comes from playing with elephants in the water. A real thrill you feel when driving around a city with no traffic rules on motor bikes. An unforgettable sense of butterflies while scuba diving with no formal training. A feeling of flying when ziplining through the jungle. We had done everything we had hoped for, and then some. We had met incredible people. From travelers around the world to local children in rural Cambodia. We understood history from real stories from those who had experienced the riots in Bangkok, lived through the genocides of Cambodia, and been affected by the Vietnam War. Early on we realized that traveling around the world with 3 friends is something that is afforded only in a certain part of life. A part where your money can be spent and your responsibilities are few. With that mentality, we did our best to make the most out of each day, maximizing each minute, knowing this was a once in a life time experience. Even the prospect of two 9 hour plane rides, a 17 hour layover, and more airplane food couldn't diminish the satisfaction we felt knowing we had just accomplished a trip that we will remember for the rest of our lives.
Thanks for reading.
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